Beechcraft D-45 N99065

Summary

On 7 December 1996 at about 00:25 local time, a Beechcraft D-45 registered N99065 was involved in an accident near Poplarville, Mississippi, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 December 1996 at 00:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Poplarville, Mississippi, United States

Coordinates

30.8293, -89.5293

Aircraft

Beechcraft D-45

Registration

N99065

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Millington → Bay St Louis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA97FA034

2 people died.

the noninstrument-rated pilot's intentional operation of the airplane with known deficiencies in equipment (inoperative attitude indicator and directional gyro) with an estimated time of arrival after official twilight. Also, poor in-flight planning decision by the pilot for continuing the flight after encountering dark night conditions resulting in spatial disorientation and a loss of control. Contributing to the accident were: the insufficient standards/requirements of the operator for allowing the airplane to be flown by a noninstrument-rated pilot with inoperative attitude instruments with an estimated time of arrival after official twilight, the dark night and an inoperative attitude indicator.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Flight clearance was granted by the club manager (non-pilot) who was allowed by flying club regulations to do so and who had no formal training. The ETA was after the end of twilight. The pilot was not instrument rated and the attitude indicator and directional gyro instruments were inoperative; which he knew about. Flying club regulations requiring an instrument rating for night cross-country flights was previously eliminated. Regulations required IFR equipped aircraft for night cross-country flights. About 32 minutes after the end of nautical twilight while flying over an unlit sparsely populated area, the pilot experienced spatial disorientation. Radar data indicates a right descending turn. Examination of the wreckage indicates overload failure of the right wing, both horizontal stabilizers, and the vertical stabilizer. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The rear seat generator failure bulb was illuminated at impact. A discrepancy of the generator was noted but witnesses observed lights from the airplane before impact and the transponder was also operating before impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.